The Steady State Sentinel

The Steady State

The Steady State Sentinel is produced by The Steady State, a community of former national security professionals who spent their careers safeguarding the United States at home and abroad. Today, we continue that mission by staying true to our oaths to defend the Constitution, uphold democracy, and protect national security. Each episode features expert hosts in conversation with accomplished guests whose experience sheds light on the crises and challenges facing the nation. New episodes every Tuesday and subscribe on YouTube for the video editon.

  1. 4h ago

    Spies, Yachts & Kleptocrats: Alex Finley on Russia’s Hidden Money

    What bureaucracy, satire, sanctions, and superyachts reveal about intelligence, Russian power, and Western institutions. Episode Summary Former CIA officer, journalist, author, and Russian oligarch yacht tracker Alex Finley joins John Sipher for a wide-ranging conversation about intelligence, Russian influence, kleptocracy, and the strange places a career in national security can lead. Finley explains how her background in journalism shaped her work as a CIA reports officer, where verifying sources, understanding access, and connecting intelligence collectors with analysts were central to the job. She also reflects on the War on Terror, the disconnect she saw between policy narratives and realities on the ground, and why those experiences eventually became material for her satirical novels about the absurdities of intelligence bureaucracy. The conversation then turns to Finley’s unlikely second career tracking Russian oligarchs’ superyachts. What began as curiosity about enormous yachts appearing in Barcelona became a window into the financial networks surrounding Russian elites. Finley explains how yachts can expose the movement of oligarch wealth; the Western banks, lawyers, businesses, and legal systems that enable it; and the challenges governments face when sanctioned assets become tied up in years of litigation. The episode closes with a broader discussion of Russian influence operations, political will in Europe, democratic institutions, and whether there are still reasons for optimism. Guest bio Alex Finley is a former CIA operations officer, author, journalist, and open-source researcher focused on Russian influence and kleptocracy. Initially a journalist covering national security and Washington, she later served overseas with the Agency. Finley is the author of a trilogy of satirical novels about the intelligence world and writes Rant with Alex Finley, a Substack covering national security, democracy, corruption, and politics. She has also become widely known for tracking superyachts linked to Russian oligarchs, using open-source information to examine sanctions, hidden ownership, and the financial networks surrounding Russia’s political elite.

    Spies, Yachts & Kleptocrats: Alex Finley on Russia’s Hidden Money

  2. Sep 29

    You Don’t Set Quotas for Law Enforcement Because Bad Things Are Going to Happen

    A sheriff, a former immigration official, and an immigration policy director examine what happens when aggressive immigration enforcement collides with policing, constitutional rights, and community trust. In the third installment of The Steady State Sentinel’s series on immigration, hosts Peter Mina and Lauren Anderson examine what happens when immigration enforcement collides with the Constitution, public safety, civil rights, and community trust. They are joined by Cumberland County Sheriff Kevin Joyce, former ICE Chief Counsel Paul Hunker, and American Immigration Council Policy Director Nayna Gupta, who share perspectives from local law enforcement, federal immigration practice, and immigrant advocacy. Their conversation explores enforcement quotas, prosecutorial and law-enforcement discretion, the detention of legal immigrants, longtime community members, third-country removals, and the growing challenge of maintaining public confidence in law enforcement. The discussion goes beyond the immediate controversies to ask what a credible immigration enforcement system could look like. The guests examine the relationship between constitutional rights and effective policing, the long-term consequences when immigrant communities become reluctant to engage with law enforcement, and proposals built around compliance, safety, proportionality, and accountability.

    You Don’t Set Quotas for Law Enforcement Because Bad Things Are Going to Happen

  3. Sep 22

    143 Day incarceration : A Lawful Permanent Resident, a Bad $25 Check, and the Cost of America's Immigration System

    A legal-status hospice care provider detained for 143 days tells her story — the conditions inside, the demand for obscure "magical paperwork," and why she and her husband are now fighting to change the law. Hosts Lauren Anderson and Peter Mina sit down with Donna Hughes-Brown, a British-born lawful permanent resident who has lived in the United States for nearly 50 years, and her husband Jim Brown, a Navy corpsman who served 20 years including Desert Storm. In July 2025, returning from Ireland through Chicago O'Hare, Donna was detained by CBP — requesting she show "some magical paperwork" — and would spend the next 143 days in immigration detention. Her offense: a bad $25 check written to a grocery store in 2012 that had already been adjudicated and was only a misdemeanor. She describes being handcuffed on the jet bridge, no medication for six weeks, and a corrections officer invoking the "five-second rule" when her pill hit the floor. Jim describes calling 200 congressional offices and being told "we don't do legal stuff" — until he told one staffer to resign and turn in their badge, and a week later got a call: “Can you be in D.C. on Wednesday?” Donna warns all listeners : "Just because you're legal doesn't mean you're safe." The episode closes with a description of her data-driven advocacy — 84% of detainees have no criminal record, 19,000 homicides by U.S. citizens last year versus nine by immigrants — and her mission to treat all persons with dignity: "Before you are any of those things, you are human first." Episode Transcript

    143 Day incarceration : A Lawful Permanent Resident, a Bad $25 Check, and the Cost of America's Immigration System

  4. Sep 15

    No Cloak, No Dagger: A Professor's Secret Life Inside the CIA

    A distinguished professor and decorated intelligence officer on 25 years of balancing academia and espionage, the value of scientific credentials in the field, and why diversity makes the CIA stronger. Host Jim Lawler sits down with his former CIA colleague Dr. Les Paldy, a distinguished service Professor Emeritus at Stony Brook University who spent 25 years balancing two identities: university professor by day and and on contract with the CIA in service to the United States. Paldy shares how he was first recruited — a classic spotting operation by a former Agency officer who approached him after a conference talk. He explains how his scientific credentials allowed him to "go where others could not," attending conferences in China and Eastern Europe to spot and assess foreign scientists as potential recruitment targets. He describes the cultural differences between academia and the CIA — the openness and shared inquiry of the university versus the compartmentation and top-down directives of the Agency. He reveals how he kept his secret life hidden from colleagues for decades, with only his wife and two sons knowing he was "doing something with the CIA." He reflects on what people get wrong about the Agency, why diversity is essential to its mission, and why he'd do it all over again. The episode closes with advice for young people considering intelligence careers. Guest info: Lester Paldy is a distinguished service professor emeritus at Stony Brook University and a decorated former intelligence officer. He served on teams in the CIA's Directorate of Operations and the FBI Counterintelligence Training Center at Quantico, Virginia. He is a former Marine Infantry Officer and the author of No Cloak, No Dagger: A Professor's Secret Life Inside the CIA. He spent 25 years balancing a career in academia with service as with the CIA , using his scientific credentials to spot and assess foreign scientists at conferences around the world. Episode Transcript

    No Cloak, No Dagger: A Professor's Secret Life Inside the CIA

  5. Sep 8

    From West Point to Congress: A Veteran Runs on Common Sense and Service

    A former Army lieutenant colonel and Lincoln Project executive on why he's running for Congress, the "weight of leadership," and why the costs, chaos, and corruption of this administration are hitting home in Missouri. Host John Sipher sits down with Fred Wellman, a West Point graduate, former Army Lieutenant Colonel, and current Democratic candidate for Missouri's 2nd Congressional District. Wellman shares his journey from growing up in Kirkwood, Missouri, to flying scout helicopters in Desert Storm, serving three tours in Iraq, and later running a veterans-focused business, working with the Lincoln Project, and now running for Congress. He reflects on the "weight of leadership" — the lesson that leadership should be keenly felt— and how losing his first wife and unborn child in a car accident taught him the importance of empathetic leadership. He contrasts his approach with his opponent, 13-year incumbent Ann Wagner, who is known as "absent Anne" for refusing to hold town halls, who quadrupled her net worth while in office, and has never once broken with Trump. Wellman outlines his plans for “day one:” banning stock trading by members of Congress, turning back tariffs, restoring healthcare subsidies, and addressing the affordability crisis. He also warns about the long-term damage of the administration's military purges, noting that these will have negative consequences for generations to come. "When you fire the women who are generals, when you pass over the black men and women who are generals, the message is sent, and this is gonna echo through the United States military for a generation to two generations." The Steady State endorses Wellman for embodying the values of national security professionals. Guest info: Fred Wellman is a West Point graduate, former Army Lieutenant Colonel, and the Democratic candidate for Missouri's 2nd Congressional District. He flew scout helicopters in Desert Storm and served three tours in Iraq. He earned a master's degree from Harvard's Kennedy School and later founded a business serving veterans and military families. He served as Executive Director of the Lincoln Project and now hosts a podcast on democracy and politics. He is running to replace 13-year incumbent Ann Wagner. Episode Transcript

    From West Point to Congress: A Veteran Runs on Common Sense and Service

  6. Sep 1

    A Million-Dollar Lawsuit and the State of American Intelligence

    Veteran journalist Jeff Stein on the chilling effect of Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPP) suits, the purge of the intelligence community, and why he's "cautious" about the future. Host Jim Lawler sits down with Jeff Stein, the founding editor-in-chief of Spy Talk and a veteran journalist who has covered the intelligence community for over 40 years — and who earlier this year beat back a $1 million defamation suit brought by a Trump administration official. Stein shares the visceral reaction to being served on his front porch on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and why he knew from the start his reporting would hold up. He explains how the Trump administration has weaponized litigation against journalists, and warns that this creates a chilling effect on sources and reporters alike. He expresses concern regarding the "raw mass firings" of intelligence professionals who served under Democratic administrations — a radical departure from past practice — and the counterintelligence nightmare this creates. He warns that the Iran war is a strategic disaster, that Trump "seems mesmerized by Netanyahu," and that the decimation of CISA and the undermining of NATO are genuine threats. He closes with his view of the upcoming elections: "Trump is a national security threat, and the Democrats... that's our only vehicle for getting rid of this national security threat." Guest info: Jeff Stein is the founding editor-in-chief of Spy Talk, an independent Substack outlet and podcast covering U.S. intelligence, defense, and foreign policy. Before going independent, he wrote the Spy Talk column at Newsweek and earlier founded the CQ Homeland Security column at Congressional Quarterly. He is the author of three books, including A Murder in Wartime and Saddam's Bomb Maker. From 1968 to 1969, he served as a case officer with the 525th MI Group in Vietnam, running a network of spies against communist forces and was awarded a Bronze Star. Episode Transcript

    A Million-Dollar Lawsuit and the State of American Intelligence

  7. Aug 25

    The Autocrats' Worst Enemy: Why Despots Fear Mayors

    A former U.S. Ambassador and Los Angeles Deputy Mayor on why local leaders are democracy's front line, how cities can resist authoritarianism, and what you can do to help. Host Lauren Anderson sits down with Ambassador Nina Hachigian, founder and CEO of the Alliance for Local Leaders International, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting and connecting mayors and governors globally to solve shared challenges. Drawing from her recent Foreign Affairs article, "The Autocrats' Worst Enemy," Hachigian explains why mayors are the most trusted level of government (70% trust, held for decades) and how in autocracies around the world, they have served on the front lines to protect democratic freedoms. She shares harrowing examples: the mayor of Gdańsk assassinated for his support of LGBTQ rights; the mayor of Caracas jailed for leading protests; and Istanbul's mayor thrown in jail and facing 2,000 years of sham charges. She discusses how the current US administration is using classic authoritarian tactics including weaponizing federal funding against states and cities that didn't support the president’s election. She offers hope through local innovation (participatory budgeting) and civic engagement–volunteering, connecting and communicating with local representatives, and the simple act of getting to know your neighbors. Her message: "Mayors are the canaries in the coal mine," when assessing the health of our democracy. And local democracy is where renewal begins. Episode Transcript

    The Autocrats' Worst Enemy: Why Despots Fear Mayors

  8. Aug 18

    Cornucopia of Vectors of Theft: How China Is Stealing America's Economic Future

    A former CIA officer on China’s espionage successes, America’s IP losses, and the growing threat to the U.S. economy. Host John Sipher sits down with his former CIA colleague Glenn Chafetz, now Director of the 2430 Group, a nonprofit focused on state-sponsored espionage against the economy. Chafetz explains how technology has transformed espionage — from the days of clandestine meetings in parking garages where “if you didn’t get caught red-handed, you didn’t get caught” to a world where "commercial surveillance far outstrips government surveillance" and the changes the technological expansion required of the CIA. He describes China's coordinated, party-state, intentional, and purposeful effort to steal American intellectual property (IP) calling China’s intelligence service "the single most successful intelligence organization in the history of the planet." He argues that American companies are losing the IP war because their focus on quarterly profits prevents them from calculating the significant long-term cost of stolen technology and making needed investments in counterintelligence efforts that would protect their IP. He warns that China's informal network of autocracies — Russia, Iran, North Korea — functions as a modern "Axis of Evil," and that the U.S. is destroying its own alliance network at the worst possible time. He closes with advice for companies: You have to become sufficiently expert in economic espionage, counter-espionage, counterintelligence, because if you don't, your competitors will. Guest info: Glenn Chafetz is the Director of the 2430 Group, a nonprofit providing research and advice on state-sponsored espionage efforts against the US economy, and publisher of the tRed Report, the organization’s recurring intelligence/geopolitical brief . He served at the State Department and the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency before spending much of his 30 year government career at the CIA which included three tours as Chief of Station.. He became the first person to oversee the Agency’s program of espionage tradecraft in the age of technological expansion. View Episode Transcript

    Cornucopia of Vectors of Theft: How China Is Stealing America's Economic Future
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About

The Steady State Sentinel is produced by The Steady State, a community of former national security professionals who spent their careers safeguarding the United States at home and abroad. Today, we continue that mission by staying true to our oaths to defend the Constitution, uphold democracy, and protect national security. Each episode features expert hosts in conversation with accomplished guests whose experience sheds light on the crises and challenges facing the nation. New episodes every Tuesday and subscribe on YouTube for the video editon.

Information

  • Creator
    The Steady State
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    48
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Steady State. All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    The Steady State Sentinel

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